Automatically-operated garage door



April 12', 1927. 1,624,814

D. SZALLA AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED GARAGE DOOR Filed May is, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet. 1

"a gi IIAWIJWIIIUIIl/II I? IN-VENTOR ezso 5 aZZa April 12, 1927.1,624,814

D. SZALLA AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED GARAGE DOOR Filed May 13, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 151B. 10 1GB INVENTOR N 29250 52a; & ATTORNEY viewthereof, associated with an a1 )pr )aching Patented Apr. 12,1927,

UNITED STATES,

nEzso szAL'LA, OF NORTH TonA'wAmm, 'nnw'vonx.

, AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATED GARAGE noon.

Application filed May 13,

This invention relates generally to garage construction and has moreparticular reference to a novel type of automatically operated garagedoor. I g

The invention has for an object the provision of an improved garage doorconstruc'tion which will open automatically upon the near approach of avehicle, and automatically close upon exit of a vehicle from the garage.v

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand appended claims in which the various novel features of the inventionare more particularly set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a material part of thisdisclosure- Fig. 1, is a front elevational view of a garage constructedaccording to the invention.

Fig. 2, is a fragmentary vertical sectional vehicle.

'Fig. 3, is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 6.

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on the line Hof Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a fragmentary top elevational view with certainparts broken away disclosing certain other parts.

'Fig. 6, is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on the line(5-6 of Fig. 2, but showing the door in open positions.

Fig. 7, is a vertical sectional rear view 'of the garage doors.

Fig. 8, is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 8-8Fig. 6.

Fig. 9, is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lower part bf thedoor,

The reference numeral 10 indicatcsthe ground level, being provided witha recess 1O,-accomm0dating a platform 11, whose upper surface is flushwith the ground level, and a garage 12. I

The vertical rods 13, 14. are journalml'in supports 15, fastened to thefront wall of the garage. The garage door is formed of a number ofpanels, 16. 17. 18, 19. The rods 13, 14, have rigidly fixed theretosupporting members 20, which arefastened to the outer edges of panels16, 17, the inner edges of.

panels 16, 17 being hingedly connected, as indicated at .21, to theouter edges of panels 1.8, 19, while the inner edges of panels 18', 19are provided with suitable casters 22 1926. Serial No. 108,787.

The springs 23 attached at one end to the garage walls, and at the otherend to the panels 16, 17, normally urge the garage door to'the openedposition, shown in Fig. 6. Arms 24 are rigidly attached to the upperends of the rods 13 and 14 and are pivotally and 'slidably connectedat'their ends to arms or levers 25.- The levers 25are pivotally attachedto the panels 18 and 19 and" are adapted to move the latter from an opento a closed position when the rods 13 and 14 are rotated as heflnafterset forth.

Rigidly fixed to the lower end of rods 13. 14, are the segmental crankdiscs 26, 27 having catch notches 28, normally engaged by pivotedfingers 29, 30, depending from supports 31, and pressed into engagementby expansion springs 32. Planks 33, 34 aredepressibly mount-ed onsprings 35, and normally have their upper faces flush with the groundlevel 10., A vehicle approaching the garage door soon presses downwardswith its front wheels, the planks 33, 34, and pins 36, projecting fromsaid planks abut against the pivoted fingers 29, 30 releasing the saidfingers from the catch notches 28, and allowing the springs 23 to openthe garage doorl It should be noticed that the position of the segmentalcrankdisc 26, shown in Figs.

3 and 4 is that of the release, or door opened position. The vehicle maynow enter the garage, and the vehicle operator mav close the garage doorbehind the vehicle.

Pivotally connected to the segmental crank discs'26, 27. are theconnecting rods 37, 38,

connected at the outer ends to other connecting rods 39, 40, pivotallyfastened to thefront of ears 41, 42, hingedly mounted at their rear endsto the platform 11, as lIIdl".

catefd at 43. VVhen the garage door is in theclosed position the cars41, 42 dispose substantially flush with the platform surface, shown inFigs. 2 and 5, while with the garage door in the opened position theears are in a raised position. shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The platform 11is provided with suitable slots 44 to allow the rods 39. 40 to assume araised position. correspondingly with the ears. The vehicle upon being.driven from the garage rides upon the ears 41, 4 2, depressing them, andcausing the connecting rods to partially revolve the segn iental crankdiscs, to a position in which the attached garage door is closed, andthe .fingers 29, 3O engaged the notches in the said segmental-crankdiscs, holding the doors closed against the opening action of springs2 IWhile I have illustrated and described my'invention, with some degree ofparticularity, I realize that in practice various alterations thereinmaybe made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing theform of the details of construction or otherwise altering thearrangement of the correlated parts, without departing from the spiritorthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a door, means forvnormally urgingsaid door to an opened position comprising a spring attached at one endto said door and at the other end to a stationary member, means forlatching said door to a closed position, comprising a se mental crankdisc having a catch notch and co-axially fixed to said door, a pivotedfinger-for enga ing said catch notch, means for releasing said latchingmeans upon the approach of a vehicle, and

means for closing and relatching said door upon the departure of avehicle.

2. In a device of the [class described, a door, means for normallyurging said door to an opened position comprising aspring attached atone end to said door and at the till other end toa stationary member,means for latching said door to aclosed posltion comprising a segmentalcrank disc having a catch notch and co-axially fixed to said (1001',

a pivoted finger for engaging said catch notch, means for releas ng Saltlatching means upon the approach of a ve ncle, comprising a depressiblespring supported plank,

and normally having its upper faceflush withthe ground level, aprojecting pin on said plank adapted to engage said pivoted finger, andmeans for closing and relatching said door upon the departure of avehicle. 3. In a device of the class described, a

.prising a depres si le spring mounted planknornrally having its upperface flush with the ground level, a projecting pin, on said plankadapted to engage, abutting said pivoted finger, and means for closingand maasia relatehing saiddoor upon the departure of a vehicle,comprising a rod pivotally connected to said segmental crank disc,another rod having one end. connected to the outer end of firstmentioned rod, and an ear jourthe opening operation thereof and to movesaid door sections to a closed position upon rotation of said rod, aplate secured on the lowerend of said rod comprising an arcuate edgeportion having a notch therein, a pivotally mount-ed finger memberadapted at one end to engage in said notch for holding said door in aclosed position, and means comprisingv a trigger operable by the weightof an approaching car adapted to disengage said finger from said notchfor permitting said door to be opened.

-5. In a device of the class'described, pivotally mounted doors disposedin the entrance of a garage comp-rising hinged sections, a substantiallyvertical rod rotatively mounted on the wall of said garage adjacent theentrance thereto, a lever rigidly secured to the upper end said rod, alever pivotally attached to"sa1d rigidly secured lever at one end andto-said door sections at the other adapted to guide said'door-sectionsduring the opening operation thereof andto move said door sections to aclosed position upon rotation of said rod, a spring attached at one endto Said wallfor normally urging said door to an open position, a platesecured on the lower. end of said door comprisng an arcuate edgeport-ion having a notch therein,

a catch positioned below said door for cn-' gaging said notch meansadapted ,to ,be actuated by the approach of a vehicle to disengage saidcatch from said notch for permitting said door to be opened by theaction of said spring, a lever pivotally mounted on said plate andextended substantially horizontally to a position in advance of theentrance of said garage, and a trigger pivotally attached to the end ofsaid lefver adapted .to be engaged by the wheels of a vehicle asthelatter is driven out of said garage for rotating said rod to close thedoor.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

nEzso SZALLA.

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